Nowadays, technology is so intertwined with our daily routines that we often don't even notice its impact on our lives. From the moment we wake up to our workplace, technology is present, transforming the way we perform various tasks . Within the corporate environment, these tools have been providing solutions to increase productivity , streamline routines, and ensure business growth. For this reason, IT governance becomes an extremely valuable process for organizations.
IT governance is a sector within information technology that seeks to optimize processes and ensure that technological resources are used efficiently and assertively . To help you better understand how this process works, continue reading this article!
Understand what IT governance is
Created by researchers Loh and Venkatraman, the term IT Governance seeks to describe the methods and strategies used to increase productivity and enhance the capabilities of services and activities performed by this sector. Governance seeks to enhance available technologies and contribute to business growth.
Using a set of strategies, methods, rules, and responsibilities, IT Governance allows for resource control and a more intelligent and assertive decision-making process . This allows for verification that everything is functioning in accordance with the organization's goals and objectives.
For this to be possible, it's necessary to have an experienced professional who can develop efficient goals and strategies , and who also understands the applications and technological tools used by the business. This professional should:
- Monitor applications;
- Establish goals and strategies to optimize activities;
- Develop policies and rules for processes;
- Manage sector risks;
- Between others.
For a company to achieve all its objectives, all its resources and technological tools must be 100% available and functional. In addition to adding more value to the organization, having more effective technology can improve the organizational climate and make everyday life even easier for employees.
Discover the connection between IT Governance and risk management in the company in the video below.
Practical examples of IT governance
To better understand the role of IT governance, we can use an example:
Consider an IT department where demands are disorganized and the team is unable to establish a fluid process to ensure needs are met according to the organization's priorities. With IT governance, it's possible to implement a transparent process that prioritizes demands , bringing more fluidity to processes.
To achieve this, the IT Governance manager can create an efficient policy that ensures all processes run smoothly, fostering a smooth workflow. Once created, this policy must be known to all involved so that it is followed and respected at all stages and processes.
Is IT governance only for large companies?
The main objective of IT Governance is to promote transparency and security in the processes and resources used by the technology sector . Therefore, this strategy can be implemented by any company that needs to optimize its IT department.
Implementing IT governance can bring several benefits and advantages to a business, such as:
- Prevents the leaking of confidential , preventing not only punishments (due to the rules imposed by the General Data Protection Law ), but also protecting the company's image in the market;
- It enables the automation of various processes and protocols, making the routine more practical and functional;
- Increases the effectiveness of available tools and resources , as well as their respective use, ensuring that all applications, systems and software used deliver their full capacity and functionality;
- It optimizes all IT management processes, ensuring the company has a competitive edge in the market;
- It allows managers to anticipate failures, problems and possible risks , even before they pose any real danger to the organization.
How is IT Governance done?
To ensure all the benefits that IT Governance can provide, managers use tools called frameworks. These resources bring together best practices to optimize resource utilization, integrating the IT department with all company processes. These frameworks are essential for ensuring greater control and a more fluid and intelligent decision-making process.
Now, take a look at some tools considered essential for the IT Governance implementation process:
COBIT
Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT ) is one of the most widely used IT Governance frameworks worldwide. To ensure process optimization, COBIT seeks to demonstrate everything that needs to be done to transform management protocols within a company . This allows organizations to align all their business objectives with their IT plans, adding greater value and control.
ITIL
The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL ) is a globally recognized framework that encompasses best management practices for IT. This comprehensive tool aims to ensure efficient process management and improve the quality of customer experience .
ITIL allows infrastructure to be managed in a more flexible and functional way, ensuring intelligent management of all stages.
GSTI
ITSM stands for IT Service Management and is a tool that helps incorporate values and foster interaction between a company's departments. Through it, it's possible to establish collaboration protocols that guide the company toward growth.
This tool has 3 main pillars:
- People;
- Processes;
- Tools.
GSTI allows the company to implement a high-performance infrastructure, adding more competitiveness and quality.
SCRUM
This tool is widely used in multitasking projects to ensure greater organization and efficiency. This popular technique is based on Sprints, which consist of periodic strategic meetings focused on project organization.
Each of these meetings has its own objectives and goals, which, individually, contribute to the success of the project as a whole. These objectives are determined before each Sprint , with deadlines, forecasts, and results tracking, and can be measured according to specific KPIs.
IT governance is essential
As we've seen, IT governance is a fundamental process for businesses seeking greater efficiency and control over their processes. Poor IT governance can be detrimental to a company, and greater integration between departments is crucial to ensuring a better market position.
Good IT governance is essential to deliver better results and add more value to the business.
